Approach

Umbwe Village,about 50km from Moshi and Arusha

Route Description

The Umbwe route is both the shortest and steepest route up Kilimanjaro, which should be tackled in 5 days with an optional extra day for acclimatisation. Towards the end of the third day it meets up with the Machame Route at Barafu Camp (4700m).

The Umwe route can also be used to access arrow glacier. From Barafu camp the trail leads to the summit via Stella Point.

Due to the steepness of the trail in parts, it is used for ascents only, with Marangu or Kibo used for desceding.

Essential Gear

The snow level is only reached on the summit plateau,so no technical gear is required.

Dress warmly and make sure everything is waterproofed! Leather boots are fine but wear warm socks, and ensure that you have a balaclava as it can get very windy when you push for the summit early in the morning.

Miscellaneous Info

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